Othello key themes/imagery

Othello key themes/imagery

1. Jealousy

   • Jealousy leads to tragic denouement as Iago's personal and professional jealousy destroys Otehllo's marriage. Revenge is Iago's main motive behind the chaos and destruction he creates throughout the play. From the outset this is clear as we learn he has been rejected of the position of Lieutenant which drives him to unforgivably destroy Othello's like. (he feels wronged because of this)
   • Not only Iago, but Brabantio also craves revenge due to the loss of his daughter because of Othello and brings him before the Duke for his imprisonment.
   • Because of Iago, Othello also becomes severely jealous believing that Desdemona has been unfaithful and his speach becomes disjointed representing his corrupt/jealous mind. In this way Othello mirrors the antagonist of Iago.
   • 'green eyed monster' - highlights the jealous, violent revenger that Othello has become. He has been consumed by jealousy up until the point of no return (catharsis)
     • Mirrors Iago's character as at the beginning of the play he is respectful and admirable calling her a 'lady' however once Iago has planted the idea that Desdemona may be unfaithful, this grows on his mind and he begins to trust Iago. This results in his admirable character status to vanish, demanding Iago to 'get me some poison' but then replies with 'Good,good!' when Iago tells him to strangle her instead.

2. Appearances vs reality

   • 'honest Iago' is referred to multiple times through the play, characters such as Othello and Cassio are fooled by Iago's honest appearance , arguably this is their hamartia. Iago manipulates his victims so that he appears to be trustworthy and honest however this is a fatal mistake.

3. White-black imagery (race)

   • This is incredibly prominent throughout the play as Othello is the only black character we meet
   • There is a clear distinction between Othello and the other characters within the play and this is referred to multiple times, mainly be the antagonist Iago.
   • Portrayed as an outsider, untrustworthy?
   • He uses Othello's race to say that he is an uncontrolled, lustful character.
   • 'an old black ram is tupping your white ewe'
   • The colour 'black' connotes evil and therefore danger/ death- Iago uses this as despite Othello appearing noble at the outset at the play, by Act 4 his mind has been poisoned and he has been turned into a violent revenger, matching this stereotype.
     • Shakespeare plays on the traditional conception of black and white. He assigns the 'good' character Othello with black ethnicity however Iago the 'evil' character with white ethnicity.
   • The theme of black and white is used metaphorically throughout as eventually the light and love between Othello and Desdemona fall into darkness and despair

4. Revenge

5. Animal imagery/bestial

   • Animal imagery is used particularly regarding Othello- the tragic hero. The references also reflect the racism in the play towards Othello. EG. 'Barbary horse' along with its vulgarity connotes a savage moor before the audience have been introduced to him. - conveys a sense that the laws of nature, rather than those of society are the primary forces governing the characters in the play.
   • 'An old black ram is tupping your white ewe' Iago highllights here the clear differences between Othello and Desdemona to Brabantio again illustrating the idea that race is used against Othello throughout the play. Desdemona is presented as being pure, young and innocent however Othello is portrayed as being old and possibly corrupt. This along with the quote ' making the beast with two backs' suggests that Othello and Desdemona are in a lustful relationship . Shakespeare here plays on Elizabethan notions that black men have an animal-like, hyper-sexuality and are even 'inhumane' and this highlights the aim of Iago in manipulating Brabantio's fears of miscegenation
     • The white links to virginity
   • Iago's bestial language eventually takes root in Othello's mind as he says ' were they as prime as goats, as hot as monkeys' highlighting that Othello has been driven into this corrupted state of mind by the antagonist as he belays Desdemona has betrayed him. Emphasises how corrupt his mind has become. Foreshadows how his speech will become disjointed in act 4 emphasising the disintegration of his character.

6. Position of women

   • Desdemona is first introduced by her father as a 'maiden never bold', so shy and timid that she is even embarrassed by own actions.
     • He doesn't mention her by her name but refers to her as an object he suspects of being abused by Othello. 'twixt my sheets he has done my office'.
   • At the outset of the novel Othello talks of Desdemona in spiritual terms of their love 'my soul hath her content so absolute' He cannot believe that such beauty could be so evil 'if she be false, o! then heaven mocks itself'. Even when he is murdering her he is tortured by her beauty 'whiter skin of hers than snow'
   • Iago also recognises her qualities of generosity, compassion and honesty. however he later he uses these qualities against her 'it'll turn her virtue into pitch'.
   • In contrast Iago refers to his wife Emilia as a nag and is disrespectful of her which is evident in the line 'It is a common thing to have a foolish wife' and uses her as part of his evil plan against Othello.
   • Desdemona is also presented as being a brave bold woman who betrayed her father by eloping.
     • Down to earth
     • The final assault on Desdemona's innocence turns her into a forgiving, saintly , religious sacrifice and she ends up accepting any evil as her fate.
       • Emilia stands up to it and fights back.
   • Desdemona relies on Emilia's wisdom of men. They have totally different views on men.
     • Discussing adultery, Desdemona could not believe that any woman could commit such an act 'No by this heavenly light!' however Emilia speaks of equality asking why is it inappropriate that women can commit adultery however men can. For this reason she can be viewed as a modern woman, a feminist before her time.

7. Love

   • Men in the play have very different views on love .
     • Desdemona is the embodiment of self-sacrificing and generous love, while Othello is the overwhelmed lover who becomes a violent revenger.
       • Iago simply sees love as 'merely a lust of the blood and a permission of the will'- the views of the audience were likely to be varied too.